WRITE/RESEARCH/CREATE, pt. 6: Christopher Williams Developed Strengths in New Styles of Writing Thanks to Experiences at IUSB

Book and Description:[Conventional] Collective a book of somewhat absurd and playful poetry that makes one think.Note: The [Conventional] part is struck through on the cover but cannot be formatted that way here.

Favorite Resource/Service: Interlibrary Loan is pretty great, and the computer labs have saved me more often than not.

Favorite thing about IUSB: “Everything is my favorite, I miss Greenlawn though, I spent a very large portion of my life here, my mother got her BS/BA/MA all from this campus, and worked in the Education Department for a time as well. I remember when housing and the bridge were just a dream, seeing it become reality was pretty awesome.”

Favorite thing about my department/major: “The English department is small and can be very close-knit if you put some effort into connecting with others in it. I often feel more at home on the third floor of Weikamp than at my actual home much to my wife’s chagrin. I have spent as much time in Prof’s offices just talking about random stuff as I have talking about class. I also enjoy that most semesters will end with a trip to the Oaken Bucket to unwind with classmates and the professor, and we usually don’t get too rambunctious, English majors never cause scenes…you believe me right?”

How has IUSB helped you grow as a writer: “I came into my BA program with a very small set of things I liked to write, sci-fi and fantasy, and the professors along the way have allowed that part of my writing to flourish while also teaching me to enjoy new styles of writing. I never thought I would be a poet because I hated trying to write it, and I avoided creative non-fiction like the plague, now I have a self published book of poetry and have won awards and presented my creative non-fiction essays at conferences. I came into the program this little dormant seed with just the smallest sprout, and this school has allowed that sprout to become a large tree with many different limbs, sci-fi and fantasy still make up the bulk, but now I have these other writing styles growing there as well and have learned how to graft them all together to make new and exciting things with my writing.”

Photo and Poster Design by IU South Bend Student Leah Fick.

Interested in taking part in the WRITE/RESEARCH/CREATE poster project? Contact Julie Elliott at jmfelli@iusb.edu